Saudi Arabia to start issuing tourist visas

Soon, a holiday in Saudi?

Next time you look to the Middle East for your holiday plans, you will have another destination to choose from. Saudi Arabia, long off limits to casual travellers, is to start issuing tourists visas according to the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA). The government body charged with rolling out the changes did not however provide a timeline on when it will start issuing tourist visas.

The kingdom is hoping to attract 1.5 million tourists by 2020, a two-fold increase over current numbers. While you can only visit Saudi Arabia on pilgrimage, business and on being invited by family members who are residents in the country, very soon you will be able to travel as part of tour groups. Visas will be issued to groups through tour operators authorised by the SCTA.

The move is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to develop other sectors of the economy and move away from dependence on oil and gas. To this end the kingdom has also announced a slew of new tourism projects along it’s pristine Red Sea coast. Richard Branson of the Virgin Group is reported to be investing in developing a number of islands on the coast to host tourists. It is expected that visitors travelling to this part of the country will not require a visa at all.

These announcements come after a false start a few years ago when similar plans to develop tourism in the country were rolled back after initial consideration. But this time the push is part of a concerted overall effort to diversify the economy. Tourism could potentially provide the country with hundreds of thousands of jobs and a steady source of foreign exchange.

These moves are seen as unprecedented for a country that only recently allowed women the right to drive and has very little by way of tourism infrastructure. There are no movie theatres and no nightlife to speak of. But it does have some stunning and diverse nature – the Rub’ al Khali or the Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world while Al Bahah, a city in the south of the country is surrounded by verdant forests. Mada’in Saleh in the north is home to pre-Islamic, Nabatean ruins and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There is a lot to see and explore, if only the Saudis follow through on their promise to let in visitors.